What vs. Which

You can use 'what' and 'which' interchangeably; however, there are some delicate differences between these two. Let us start learning it through this article.

"What" vs. "Which" in the English Grammar

What Are Their Main Differences?

The words 'what' and 'which' both function as question words in English, but they are used in different contexts, and they help form different kinds of questions.

Differences

Unlimited vs. Limited Options

"What" is used when there is no clear limit or definitive choice among the options, or when the speaker is asking for general information. For example, when you ask; 'What is your favorite color?' the person can choose many different colors.

"Which" is used when the speaker has a limited set of options in mind, or when they are choosing from a specific group. For example, you might ask "Which animal do you prefer, a dog or a cat?"

What is its name?

What do you need?

What do you do?

Which glass was mine?

Which finger do you feel pain in?

Which one is your father? The one with black shirts or the other?

Background Knowledge

When the question is asked with "what," it generally implies that the speaker has no specific knowledge of the options, or they are open to any response. When the question is asked with "which," the speaker has some background knowledge or a limited set of options in mind options, and the question is about choosing one of them.

Which president started the Vietnam war?

Which actor has won the most Oscars?

What happened during world war II?

'What' and 'Which' as Relative Pronouns

Both "what" and "which" can function as relative pronouns; however, when used as a relative pronoun, "what" changes into "that".

The house that is painted in blue looks different from the other ones.

The small animal which has thick long tail is a raccoon; not the one with the long neck.

Similarities

'What', 'Which', or Both?

In certain situations, "what" and "which" can be used interchangeably, but this typically happens when the speaker is referring to a small, defined set of options. In such cases, "what" can be used in a way that sounds similar to "which", especially when the set of options is already obvious from the context or when it’s a common situation.

What flight are you taking to Chicago?

Which flight are you taking to Chicago?

What movie do you want to watch?

Which movie do you want to watch?

Comments

(2)
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Jasman
Dec 2024
I already know some information but send me information is very new for me and it is a good knowledge and free for childrens I love this lesson learn from you
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Nathaniel Dede Williams
Oct 2024
I love the lesson learned from you okay
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